Man Utd monitoring ex-Man City and Real Madrid's star son and 'not ruling out' move for Santos teenager in January transfer window

According to Diario Do Peixe, Santos have yet to receive any formal offers for the youngster, but are fully aware that interest is intensifying across Europe. Apart from United, Inter Milan, Espanyol and Galatasaray are among the clubs reportedly tracking the teenager, whose emergence in the Santos first team has generated optimism that he could follow the footballing path once set by his father. He has already featured in 14 senior matches for Santos, registering two assists. He made his first professional start in the derby against Palmeiras, playing more than 60 minutes and displaying a level of composure that belied his years. Although Santos were beaten 2-0, the youngster earned praise from Vojvoda, who believes the foundations of a top-level career are already visible.

"I liked his first half performance, but we didn't have as much possession in the second half," he said. "He played a decent game, especially considering it was his first as a starter. He'll continue to grow. I spoke with him and told him he'll be a great player. He needs more statistics, assists, goals, but he's on the right track."

Robinho Jr. was part of Santos’ victorious 2025 Sao Paulo Under-20 Championship squad. However, financial considerations may ultimately force Santos to part with one of their brightest prospects. Internal discussions at the club acknowledge that selling academy talents could help stabilise their accounts at the end of the season, a frustrating reality that could open the door to European suitors. Interest in Robinho Jr has inevitably revived discussion about his father, Robinho, whose career ended under the cloud of one of football’s darkest scandals. The former Brazil international was convicted in 2017 for his involvement in the gang rape of a 23-year-old Albanian woman at a Milan nightclub in 2013. The Italian Court of Cassation upheld the nine-year sentence in 2022. Having exhausted avenues in Italy, Robinho is now serving his sentence in Brazil at Tremembe prison, near Sao Paulo, after the conviction was transferred. 

Speaking to CNN Brasil, Justice Luiz Fux said: "The declaration of opposition is only admissible when there is ambiguity, obscurity, contradiction or omission in the sentence or ruling, as provided for in article 619 of the CPP. The defence is unreasonable. The Plenary of this Supreme Court, by majority, expressly rejected, in this specific case, the principle of non-retroactivity provided for in Article 5, XL, of the Federal Constitution, considering it inapplicable in the present case."

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United’s interest in Robinho Jr. also aligns with squad planning ahead of a crucial period in the season. The Red Devils are expected to lose Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in Morocco in late December and runs until mid-January. Mbeumo is set to join Cameroon, while Amad is likely to receive the call from the Ivory Coast as they attempt to defend their AFCON crown. Their dual absence will hit United hard, depleting their attacking options at a time when fixtures traditionally come thick and fast. Speaking ahead of United’s weekend trip to Nottingham Forest, manager Ruben Amorim was frank about the difficulty of the situation, but insisted it could also open doors for squad players desperate for minutes.

When quizzed about AFCON, Amorim said: "We will have time to suffer. We are going to struggle a little bit, but we already knew it's going to be an opportunity. When I watch the training, there are players that should be playing, but it's hard with one game to take some players from the team, because they are doing well also during the training in games. So other players are going to have the opportunity to help us.

"They are understanding the way we want to play, so if we are improving on that, the change of characteristics is not going to change the idea or the momentum of the team. But let's use Amad and Bryan in these games and we will see in general."

After an impressive October, United are again going through a slump. Two successive draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, followed by a recent defeat to Everton, have put the pressure back on Amorim. They are currently placed 10th in the league standings with 18 points from 12 matches. The Red Devils are now desperate to turn their fortunes, but face a Crystal Palace side at Selhurst Park who are fighting for a top-four finish.